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Bill at the Mine Site

Tuesday, 2nd May, 2006

I am sure that Bill Shorten has a genuine interest in doing whatever he can to assist his members so unfortunately involved in the Beaconsfield mine tragedy. I am just as certain that this aspiring politician senses that there might well be an opportunity to focus public attention on the need for a strong trade union movement at a time when the Federal Government is going all out to weaken it.

Mr Shorten initially did not leave his Australian Workers Union headquarters in Melbourne to fly across Bass Strait , sending instead an articulate and well spoken vice president. Now that two of his members have been found alive he has appeared on site while the rescue mission proceeds.

Mr Shorten has wisely not been speaking about any long term implications of this accident. Quite properly he is limiting his remarks to concern about the safety of the two trapped men.

When the rescue mission is complete, watch for Mr Shorten to follow the line Opposition Leader Kim Beazley was taking yesterday about the new industrial relations laws putting the lives of workers at risk.

The report in this morning's Australian quoting miners as saying that mine management was under pressure to boost production while reducing costs suggests there will be fertile ground for Labor and the trade union movement.